Holder and Cooper join football staff

New head football coach Bernard Clark has come to RMU to compete and he brought some familiar faces with him. Early this week, RMU announced that two new coaches have been added to the Colonial football staff.

The offense is getting some much needed, as well as long-awaited, help. Ron Holder will serve as the associate head coach and the offensive line coach. Holder is a journeyman of sorts. Prior to Robert Morris, Holder had served as an assistant at the University of Miami. After Miami, Holder spent 10 seasons at Norfolk State where he climbed the ranks to become the assistant head coach and offensive line coach. Holder most recently coached at Millersville University.

Prior to coaching, Clark and Holder played together at Miami. The duo won two national titles. In a quote from RMU Athletics, there is nothing but respect from Clark when he talks about Holder.

“The thing Coach Holder brings to the table is experience and he’s also real hard-nosed. At Miami, he played center and I played linebacker, so we were constantly battling and I know what kind of battler and competitor he is. He’s going to bring a fire to the position and he’s a real technician,” said Clark

RMU also added another new coach to the offense in Kyle Cooper. Cooper, a former RMU linebacker, has come home to coach on the opposite side of the ball. Cooper was a two-year starter and captain on the defense. After graduating in 2013, Cooper became the defensive line coach at Westminster College. In his time there, Westminster finished 15th in the nation in sacks. After two years, Cooper moved on to the University of Connecticut. Cooper was a graduate assistant offensive line coach for two years. Cooper was highly recommended to Coach Clark.

“Coach Cooper came highly recommended, not only by a friend of mine named Aaron Smith but by UConn head coach Randy Edsall who also called me and highly recommended him. I like that he played linebacker in college, that he played at RMU and that he has a passion to make this place succeed. He’s going to give them an idea of the culture that was here in 2010 when they won the NEC and he lends a defensive perspective to the position,” said Clark.